a small, rounded or spherical body, as of food or medicine.
a small wad or ball of wax, paper, etc., for throwing, shooting, or the like.
one of a charge of small shot, as for a shotgun.
a bullet.
a ball, usually of stone, formerly used as a missile.
Also called cast. Ornithology. a small, roundish mass of matter regurgitated by certain predatory birds, consisting of the indigestible remains, as the fur, feathers, and bones, of the prey.
(in Romanesque architecture) a hemispherical or disklike carved ornament.
Heraldry. ogress2.
verb (used with object)
to form into pellets; pelletize.
to hit with pellets.
Origin of pellet
1325–75; Middle English pelet<Middle French pelote<Vulgar Latin *pilotta, diminutive of Latin pila ball. See pill1, -et
Sleet is rain mixed with snow; there are pellet like snowflakes that fall between warming and cooling fronts.
How to Survive a Southern Ice Storm|Nicholas Isabella|February 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Heber, who was struck by a pellet round to his head, was not seriously injured.
California School Shooter Had a ‘Hit List’|Christine Pelisek|January 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
With the pellet gun pointed at him the manager opened the safe.
Should Juvenile Criminals Be Sentenced Like Adults?|Clark Merrefield|November 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He found a manager who was buying a package of Goldfish crackers and pulled the pellet gun on him.
Should Juvenile Criminals Be Sentenced Like Adults?|Clark Merrefield|November 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Then, as on the first occasion, he placed a pellet of paper on the table with their bread.
Bonnie Prince Charlie|G. A. Henty
A second racking crash as a second pellet flashed its tiny green flame.
Invasion|William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Immediately after came the "pluff" of an air-gun being discharged, and a pellet thudded against a post on the tow-path.
A Lively Bit of the Front|Percy F. Westerman
Haviland put in a pellet and fired at nothing in particular.
Haviland's Chum|Bertram Mitford
"It's a nice walk, too," added Norah, putting sorrow to flight by deftly landing a pellet of bread on Harry's nose.
A Little Bush Maid|Mary Grant Bruce
British Dictionary definitions for pellet
pellet
/ (ˈpɛlɪt) /
noun
a small round ball, esp of compressed mattera wax pellet
an imitation bullet used in toy guns
a piece of small shot
a stone ball formerly used as a catapult or cannon missile
Also called: cast, castingornithola mass of undigested food, including bones, fur, feathers, etc, that is regurgitated by certain birds, esp birds of prey
a small pill
a raised area on coins and carved or moulded ornaments
verb(tr)
to strike with pellets
to make or form into pellets
Word Origin for pellet
C14: from Old French pelote, from Vulgar Latin pilota (unattested), from Latin pila ball
pill, bullet, stone, ball, shot, wad, mass, rock, bolus, pebble
Medical definitions for pellet
pellet
[ pĕl′ĭt ]
n.
A small pill; a pilule.
A small rod-shaped or ovoid mass, as of compressed steroid hormones, intended for subcutaneous implantation in body tissues to provide timed release over an extended period of time.